Display counter for cut flowers



March 24, 1959 c. TRoMBl-:TTA DISPLAY COUNTER FOR OUT FLOWERS Filed Jan. 29, 1.958

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INVENTOR @H4/QL 55 Ybo/wfrm DISPLAY COUNTER FOR CUT FLOWERS Charles Trombetta, Marlboro, Mass.

Application January 29, 1958, Serial No. `712,025

6 Claims. (Cl. 47-41) This invention is a ower display counter adapted to be used in stores, orists, and other places where flowers are sold.

The object of the invention is to exhibit such owers in a manner which will keep them fresh and provide for an eye-catching and alluring display of a large number of them arranged either individually or in packages, as desired.

In the preferred form of the invention, the `counter is designed to rest on the oor with certain flower packages arranged in substantially upstanding positions while other flower packages are supported in inclined position with the stems of all owers extending into water, so that they may be kept fresh and saleable for a protracted period.

The counter of this invention generally comprises oppositely sloping flower supporting shelves positioned backto-back and on which flower packages are adapted to lie in inclined positions, with a tray at the lower end of each shelf to receive the stems of the flowers. An upstanding frame, medially of the counter, has a top plate provided with a number of openings through which the stems of additional flower packages may downwardly extend into an underlying tray of water.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the display counter of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the structure of Fig. 1, showing ower packages, indicated in this figure in dot and dash lines, supported and displayed on said counter.

The counter shown in the drawing is provided with two shelves 1 and 2, respectively, which incline in opposite directions from the medial plane of the counter and are supported upon a suitable base 3. Each of these shelves is provided along its lower edge with an upstanding curb ,4 and at its opposite ends with upstanding side walls which extend from the medial plane of the counter to and join with the curb 4. A tapered tray 7, adapted to contain water, seats in the lower portion of each shelf and rests against the curb 4 thereof, as shown. The space between the side walls 5 is preferably divided into compartments byshorter intermediate partitions 6.

At the medial plane of the counter is erected a frame comprising upright standards 8 surmounted by a horizontal top flower supporting rack, shown as a plate 9. This top plate may be made flat, but it is preferably medially pitched, with a number of holes 10 arranged along each inclined side of said plate. Through these holes the stems of flowers may -be passed to extend into a tray 11 supported by the standards 8. A low center wall 12 extends medially of the counter between the standards 8 and forms a separator for the flowers stacked on the shelves 1 and 2.

In practice, the counter is ordinarily placed on the oor within full view of the prospective customer with the owers displayed as indicated in Fig. 2. Individual owers, bouquets, or flower packages may be laid in the compartments between the side walls 5 and the partitions 6, with their stems f resting in water contained in the tray 7. Additional liowers, bouquets or packages are arranged in substantially upstanding position with their stems f extending through the several openings 10 of the top plate 9 into water contained in the tray 11. Loose flowers or bouquets may be displayed in this manner, although I prefer to display the flowers in packages, such as dis-1 closed in my Patent No. 2,736,427, dated February 28, 1956. A series of such packages, indicated at F, are shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2. These packages each comprise a casing which encloses the -blooms and-is provided with transparent windows through which such blooms may be seen by the prospective purchaser.

Through the employment of the counter of this invention the flowers are displayed in a neat and attractive manner. They are properly protected against wilting by water in the trays 7 and 11 and since the display counter ordinarily stands alone, the surroundings do not detract from the beauty of the display.

The display counter of this invention is made in different sizes appropriate to the sales demand for liowers sold daily in any particular area. For the display of a relatively small number of packages no partitions 6 may be required, although for a larger volume any number of partitions may be used in a counter of corresponding size.

The counter shown in the drawing has two oppositely inclined flower supporting shelves. The counter may, however, be made with only one inclined ower supporting shelf with a superimposed ower rack at the upper end thereof, for use in localities where the demand warrants a counter of such small capacity. fHowever, it is preferred to use the double display shelf construction shown, for it permits of a very extensive display of flowers from both sides of the counter.

The foregoing description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms, but the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A display counter for owers comprising: a downwardly inclined flower supporting shelf provided along its lower edge with a tray to contain Water and at its lateral edges with upstanding side walls to conline owers resting upon said shelf with their stems extending intolthe tray, and an upstanding frame having a horizontal top rack with longitudinally spaced apart openings for the passage of ower stems downwardly therethrough and into another horizontal tray supported on the upstanding frame below the top rack.

2. A display counter according to claim 1, wherein the space between the side walls is divided into compartments by partitions upstanding from the shelf.

3. A display counter for owers comprising: two inclined ower supporting shelves extending in opposite directions from the medial line of the counter and sloping in a downward direction from said plane, each shelf being provided along its lower edge with a tray to contain water and at its lateral edges with upstanding side walls to confine flowers resting upon said shelf with their stems extending into the tray and an upstanding frame having a top rack with openings for the passage of flower stems ldownwardly therethrough and into a tray supported on the frame below the top rack.

4. A display counter according to claim 3, wherein the lateral halves of the top rack slope in the same directions as the shelves.

ce Patented Mar. 24, 1959 5. A display counter according to claim 3, wherein the References Cited in the tile of this patent space between the side Walls of each shelf is divided into UNITED STATES PATENTS compartments by partitions upstanding from the shelf.

FOREIGN PATENTS 27,715 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1913 496,212 Great Britain Nov. 25, 1938 

